Magazine lead pencil



Jan. 29,- 1929.` l

E. D. FELDMAN MAGAZINE LEAD PENCIL Original Filed March 5. 1924 stepmechanical pencil, means whereby a lead mama im. 29, l1929.

{UNI/T1511) STATES PAT-ENT. OFFICE.

nnwmn n. iii-nimm, oir Naw Yoan, N. or., assianoa'ro 'Parrott miciumsxcoa u roiwrroir, acoaroaii'rion or Naw Yoan nem LEAD mem.

i Application Med 3, 1984, Serial lo.

This invention relates to mechanical penthe type wherein the lead isadvanced by a step-by-step movement.

Anobject 'of the invention is to provide a step-byTstep mechanicalpencil which is Sim ple and sturdy of construction and which may ereadily and economically manufactured and assembled.

Another object is-to provide, in a step-'bymay be advanced with ease andcertainty.

Another Objectis to provide a step-by-step mechanical pencil which maybe operated and used with relatively small danger of breaking the lead,1

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in partappear hereinafter.

The present application is directed to certain improvements over theinventions described and claimed in the copending application of AlfredWoelm, Ser. No. 588,688, filed September 16, 1922, the copendingapplication of Alfred Woelm, Ser. No. 180,000,

' filed March 31, 1927, constituting a division of said Woelmapplication, Ser. No. 588,688,

the copending application of Edward D. Feldman, Ser. No. 596,309, filedOctober 23, 1922, and the copending application of Alfred Woelm, Ser.No. 642,858, led June 1, 1923.

The invention accordingly comprises anarticle of manufacture possessingthe features, properties, and the relation of elements which will beexemplified in the article hereinafter described and the scope oftheapplication of which will be indicated in the claims. v

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the inventionreference should be had to the following detailed description i taken inconnection with the accompanying in advanced position.

The same reference charactersrefer to the 18 under slight o -The lowerend of the tube 3 is provided drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a pencil embodying the invention,showing the parts in normal writingv position; Y

Fig. 2 is a partly sectional-view showing the partsl in 'advancedposition; and

Fig. A3 isa partly sectional view taken at rightgngles to Fig. 2 andshowing the parts same parts throughout the several views.

698,666, and in Germany November 19, 1923. Renewed lol vembei 2,1928.

n the casing ofthe pencil which has the usual cils and particularly tomechanical pencils of a second, inner tube 3, adapted to bedisplacedpointed portion 2; In the casing l, is located by, and which isconnected in any ,suitable v manner with, the ca 4. The numeral 5 des-`ignates the lead gui e tube which is fastened in a plug 6, and at itslower end areformed springy tongues 7. They upper end `of the tube 5 isenlarged in any suitable manner, as by fastening thereto a plate 19, soas to substantially close the tube 3, and'form a bottoni for the leadcompartment vorf magazine. The plug 6 is fastened into .the pointedportion of the casing part yin ally Suitable manner.

On'the guide tube 5, and above the plug 6, is movably disposed a plateor disk 8, which plate is normally pressed upwards against thepropelling device 10, by a spring 9, and holds the gripper-jaws, 11 inclosed position by reason of a cone shaped hole or annular recess formedin the upper surface of the disk 8, the sides of which recess .contactwith the inclined sides or" the gripper jaws 11.

The gripping propelling device consists of two outwardly springing legs10, projecting downward from a connecting piece 14, at-

ly as illustrated, the portion 11 conver ing vinwardly to form thebefore mentione in clined sides of the gripper iaws. v Thejawe arepreferably .curved so as to lit the lead strips. Between the straightand the converging portions of the legs 10-.11, the legs are curvedoutwards to form cams 30.

The grippers 11 are adapted to enter through the slots 12 in the guidetube 5 'so as to grip and hold a lead strip therein while the parts areat rest and during the forward Vor downward movementof the feeding mech-The grippers 10, 1'0, may pass throu h slots in a piece 13 fastened onthev guide tu e 5 so as to hold them in alignment with the slots 12. Thepiece 13 also acts as a stop or abutment to limit the downward movementof the sleeve 15. On the sleeve 15 is fastened a disk 17 'adapted 'tolimit the downward movement of the collar 16 thereon,l and betweenthe-disk 17 and the bottom of the-collar 16 is a spring compression.

los f members 30, and there are provided on the with tongues or othersuitable 21, adapted to contact with the plate or disk 8 before thesleeve 16 reaches its downward limit of travel, and to force said diskdownward against thetension of the spring 9, a distance sufficientl torelease the grippers and permit them to release their grip on the leadstrip.

At a point above the jaws 11 the grippers are formed with outwardlyprojecting cam casing 1 suitable cooperating projections 24k-25 which,in the present instance, are formed by pressing opposed portions of thecasing inwardly, the inner tube 3 being formed in its lower portionwith'suitable longitudinal slo ts 22-23 adapted to pass the in thepositions illustrated in Fig. 1, in which Th the grlppers are pressed,in opposition to their inherent spring action, against the lead byreason of the contact between the cams 30 and the projections 24, 25,which force the ends 11 of the grippers inwards against the lead and toa position where the ends thereof will enter the cone shaped openingv inthe upper surface of the plate 8 forced upwards by the spring 9, and sobe held in closed grip* ping position. The strength of the spring 9 issuilicient to cause al gripping action in eir-v cess of that requiredfor writing. lf now the cap 4, with the inner tube 3, is pusheddownward, the collar 16 will push against the spring 18 which in turnpushes against the isk 17 on the sleeve 15 and pushes the sleeveand-grippers 10-11 with the lead gripped terebetween downward; the plate8 under t e the limiting stop 13 on and consequently of the lead, thenceases, and a slight further downward motion of the sleeve 3, urged bypressure on the cap 4,

, move upward'under the urge of the springs h brings the projectionsV20, 21, into contact with and i Y mitting the grippers to spring apartand re lease theirv grip upon the lead. Pressure on the cap 4 then beingreleased, the parts will 9 and 1,8, the cams 30 will come into contactwith the abutments 24, 25 an'd the grippers Ane forced inwards to theclosed position, the plate 8 .will slipover the ends thereof. and lockthemfclosed and the parts be again in Fig. 1.

normal writing` position as p illustrated in projections 20,

urge of the spring 9 keeps the grippersA from opening until after thesleeve 15 strikes the tube 5'. -The propelling downwardA motion of thegrippers,

then forces down v.the plate 8,.per l casing when excessive pressure isappliedagainst the bottom of the lead. This upward movement will causeunusual compression of the spring 18, and so increase the tensionthereof that when such excessive pressure against the lead point isremoved the spring will cause the parts to resume their normalpositions.

It will thus be seen that in the exemplified embodiment of the inventionthere are found a number of desirablegfeatures, including the provisionof a gripping device which comprises axplurality of oppositely-disposedoutwardly-resilient grippers which may be formed out of a single pieceof spring metal and which are arranged so that they may be operated bythedepression of the pencil cap.

e grippers are under the particular control of a plate or disc, which,under the in- Huence of a spring, serves to maintain the grippers ingripping engagement with the lead pers is limited by astop,

gripper legs 10 suiiiciently iexiV 18 suiilciently yieldable, so

order to reduce the danger of breaking Y movement of the plate againstthe pressurel oit its spring serves to permit-the grippers to-A I i VThe-grippers are carried lip-- spring apart.

wardly ahead ofthe plate or-disc until they a approach their normalupward position, and

the clamping thereof by the recessed disc -is y facilitated by theprovision oi cooperating cam members on the grippers and on the cas ing.The clamping action of the recessed disc is maintained so as to hold thegrippers in 'firm en agement with the lead until the disc isdeliberately moved downwardly past the stop for the grippers by pressureapplied to the cap ofthe pencil.

the invention could be made without departall matter contained in orshown'innthe accompanying drawing shall illustrative and not -a beinterpreted as imiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the follc'r'wf fing-claims areintende'd'to cover` all of the generic and specific features oftheinvention ereinv described, fand all statements of the scope of theinvention which'as a matter. of laigiage-might be saidtofall-therebetween. Y l c aim:

- 1. In amagazineflead, encil, the combina.

tion of a two parttub ar casing one part telescopmg into'v the other,said casi-ng havlng magazine Space-in theupper partfthere-f Sincecertain changes may bemad'e in the. above article. and diiierentembodiments Tof g from the scope thereof, it is intended that of and adischarge opening in its lowerend; means for limiting the longitudinalmovement of the telescoping part of said casing; a slotted guide tubemounted over said discharge opening, the upper' end thereof forming abottom for said magazine space; an opposed pair of resilient gripperlegs, each with acam projection thereon, pendent from a gripper sleevemounted upon, and capableA of limited longitudinaly movement on saidguide tube, the free ends of said legs converging toward each other andforming grippers; a spring supported member slidable on said guide tubeand having a recess in the top thereof adapted to 4admit a. portion ofthe converging grippers, the supporting spring always under tension andnormally forcing said member against said converging grippers, andsaidgrippers closed against a lead in said guide tube, and to their normalupward limit of travel; an abutment in the path of said gripper legsadapted to force sa'id grippers closed, and to limit the upward movementthereof until sufficient force is added to that normally exerted by saidsupporting spring to cause said gripper legs to flex and the camsthereon to pass said abutment; a spring, the tension whereof will beincreased by continued upward movement of the grippers beyond theirnormal upward limit, adapted to return sai-d grippers to normal positionwhen saidadditional force is removed; and means whereby the depressionof the telescoping part of said casing will first force the grippers andthe lead downward, then to further depress said member and permit saidgrippers to open and release the lead.

2. In amagazine lead pencil, the combination of a two part tubularcasing one part telescoping into the other, said casing having amagazine space in the upper part thereof and a discharge opening in itslower end; means for limiting the longitudinal movement ofthetelescoping part of said casing; a slotted guide tube mounted over saiddischarge opening, the upper end thereof forining a bottom to saidmagazine space; an opposed pair of resilient gripper legs pendent from agripper supporting sleeve mounted upon, and capable of limitedlongitudinal movement on said guide tube, the free ends of said legsconverging toward each other and forming grippers adapted to enter theslots in said guide tube and grip a lead therev in; a spring supportedmember slidable on said guide tube and having a recess in the topthereof adapted to receive a part of the converging grippers, saidsupporting spring normally forcing said member against said converginggrippers, and said members closed against a lead in said guide tube, andat their upward limit of travel; an abutment in the path of the cams onsaid legs and adapted to Contact therewith so as to force said grippersclosed; and means whereby the longitudinal displacement of a 4part ofsaid casing will first force said lead and grippers downward, thendepress said member and permit the grippers to release their grip on thelead.

B. A -pencil mechanism comprising a pair of resilient reciprocably.lmounted spring y grippers naturally springing apart and adapted to beclosed by coming in contact with an abutment, the free ends of saidgrippers converging toward each other.; a spring actuated disk with arecess in the top thereof adapted to contact with the `converging; endsof said grippers, force them against an abutment adapted to force the-mtoward each other, and to then hold-them in closed position; and meansconnected with a part of the pencil casing whereby said disk may bedepressed in oppositin to its controlling spring until the grippershavebeen permitted to spring apart. I

4. In a magazine lead pencil a -pair of spring grippers resiliently andreciprocably mounted on a guide tube having longitudinal slots therein,an abutment in the path of said grippers adapted to force them closed,through said slots, when forced into contact therewith, a reciprocablymounted spring actuated disc adapted to contact with the ends of saidgrippers and to force, and

hold them closed, the spring actuating said,v

disk also adapted to force said grippers against said abutment.v

5. In a magazine leadpencil, the combination of an outwardly springpressed gripping device, a spring controlled disk adapted to force saidgripping device into and hold it in intimate engagement with the lead,and means whereby the depressing of a cap connected to a part of thepencil casing will move the gripper and the lead downward and then causesaid disk to release the grippers.

6. In a magazine lead pencil, a gripping and feeding -devicereciprocable on a lead guide tube; a spring tending to force said deviceupward, an abutment in the path of said device .and adapted to close thegrippers and to stop upward movement thereof until unusual upwardpressure sufficient to flex a part of said device so that it will springby s'aid abutment, is applied thereto. v

7 A pencil mechanism comprising a pair of oppositely-disposed resilientgripper legs dependent from .a common support, their free endsconverging towards each other but naturally springing apart, and formedinto 'grippers curved to fit the lead; abutnients llO receive the freeends of said grippers and to force and hold them closed, and meansadapted to be actuated by the movement of a part l, Aof the pencilcasing whereby said springcontrolled plate may be depressed andthe'grippers permitted to open.

8. ln a step-by-step pencil, the combination of a plurality of outwardlyspring-pressed grippers adapted to gri and feed forward a lead in thepencil, an up ardly spring-pressed longitudinally-movable recessedmember adapted normally to contact with said grippers and to thrust thegripper-s into gripping engagementiwith a lead and maintain them in suchengagement, and means rst to move p said recessed member and saidgrippers downwardly as a unit and thereafter to carry saidrecessedmember out of engagement with the grippers to allow them to springapart.

ln a step-by-step pencil, the combination of a plurality Ywardly-spring-pressedgrippers, a longitudinelly-movable clamp iigmemberadapted to bear against the out r surface of said grippers to clamp thesame in gripping engagement with a lead in the pencil,'resilient meansacting normally to cause said clamping member to bear against said limitthe downward movement of said grippers, and means to release theclamping action of said clamping member when the grippers reach theirlimit ment. y

l0: In a step-by-step pencil, the combination of a plurality ofoutwardly resilient longitudinally-movable lead grippers, alongitudinally-movable collar, a spring arranged to press said collarupwardly against' said grippers', means to move said collar downv wardlyand to compress said spring, said i tion of carry the grippers collarand said grippers being arranged in cam relation whereby said collarwill normally clamp said grippers against a lead and will carry saidIgrippers and. the lead downwardly therewith, .means to limit thedownward movement of' said grippers at a given point in the downwardmovement of said collar, said collar being adapted, after the downwardmovement thereof, to

upwardly ahead of it under the influence of said spring.

- ll. In astep-by-step' pencil, the combinaa plurality oflongitudinally-movable lead grippers, means acting normally to hold`said grippers in an upward position and in lirm gripping'engagementwith a lead in the pencil, said holding means comprising a 1on-`gitudinally-movable recessed member, means to move said recessed'memberand said 'grippers downwardly to advance the lead7 a stop to limit thedownward movement of said grippers, said moving means being adapted tocarry saidrecessed member downwardly and out-of operative engagementwith the grippersafter the grippers` have reached lsaid stop, and meansto move`y said recessed member upwardly,'said grippers being adapte toof longitudinally-movable outgrippers, means to of downward movememberand to be returned togripping position only toward the end of the upwardmovement thereof.

l2. Ina step-by-ste pencil, the combination of a plurality ofldbgitudinally-movable lead grippers, resilient means tending to movethe grippei's out of engagement with a lead in the pencil,longitudinally-movable means acting' normally to hold the grippers in aretracted position and in rm gripping engagement with the lead, andacting when moved in one direction to move the grippers downwardly agiven distance and then to release its hold on the grippers, and whenmoved in the opposite direction to move said grippersl upwardly and thento cause said grippers to be returned 'to a lead-gripping position.

13. A pencil mechanism comprising a longitudinally-movable grippersupporting member, a plurality of resilient arms extending from saidsupporting member, ya leadgripping jaw at the end of each arm, said armstending to spread said jaws, a :reciprocable memberl positioned beneathsaid jaws and formed with a recessed portion adapted to receive saidjaws and to clamp the same against the lead, and means to reciprocatesaid reoiprocable member and to-cause said gripper-s to move downwardlytherewith throughout a portion of its downward movenient aud to moveupwardly ahead of the saine. f I lei- .v In a step-by-step pencil, vthecombination of a plurality of outwardly springpressedlongitudinally-movable .lead grippers, va longitudinally-movable collar2the outer surfaces of said grippers and the inner surfaces ofV saidcollar being in cam relationship whereby said collar may impart aI,grippf-irs upwardly ahead of said collar during the major portion ofthe upward movelmentof the collar.

l5. In a magazine lead pencil, the combination of a casing member,areciprocable tube, means cooperating with said tube to provide a leadmagazine, a spring positioned near the base ot said casing member, a.collar supported on said spring, a lead-gripping unit comprising aplurality of outwardly spring-pressed jaws adapted to be supported onsaid collar and to be normally thrust by saidcollar into engagement witha lead in the pencil, means adapted to cause downward movement of saidcollar uponl the downward movement of said reciprocable tube, a stop tolimit the downward movement o said vgripping lunit, and means includingsaid coliatv magazine in the upper portion of the casing, and means toguide a lead from said magazine 1 downwardly through the pencil, of apair o members adapted to cooperate to feed a lead in the pencildownwardly step-by-step, said members comprising respectively aplurality of outwardly-resilient lead grippers and a gripper-clampingelement and'each of said members ybeing mounted for longitudinalmovement, a longitudinally-movable exteriorly accessible element, meansincluding said eXteriorly accessible element to impart y longitudinalmovement to oneof said members, said members Abeing arranged so that theyother of said members will normally partake of said movement, and meansproviding' upper and lower stops for said other of sald members, wherebysaid clamping element will release said grippers toward the end of the`downward movement of said exteriorly accessible element and will clampthe grippers against a lead toward the end of the upward movementaccessibleelement.

' 17. In a step-by-step pencil, the combina.- tion of vmeans providingatip, mechanism movable longitudinally ofthe 'pencil with respect tosaid tip, a plurality of longitudinally movable jaws arranged for thereception of a lead therebetween 'and reciprocable in re.-

of said exteriorly .sponse to the opxeration of said. mechanism,

means to limit t e longitudinal movement of 'said'jaws, means assoclatedwith said longitudinally movable lmechanism forv causing saidjaws-.normally to `engage a lead in the pencil and for moving said jawslongitudinally between means to move said 'aws out of engagement withthe lead after t ey `reach their limit of downward travel, and means tooperate said mechanism.

18. In a step-by-steppencil, the combination of a pluralityvofflongitudinally movable jaws arranged for the reception of a leadtherebetween, means to limit the downward movement of the jaws, meansfor normally causing said jaws to grip a lead and for impartinglongitudinal movement to the jaws, and means to move said .'aws out ofengagement with the lead after t ey reach their limit of downwardmovement. l

19. In a step-by-step pencil,`the combination of lead-gripping and-feeding mechanism comprising a air of longitudinally movable members aapted to cooperate to feeda lea downwardly step-by-step, said members cmprising respectively outwardly s ring-pressed gripper means and agripper c am ing element, a longitudinally movable exteriorly accessibleelement, means includ- :keanu 'members will normally their limitsoimovement, and lead grippers,

ing said exteriorly accessibleelement to imi part longitudinal movementto one of said c0- operating members, saidncooperating mem-l bers beingarranged so that the other of said partake of said movement, and meansprovidlng a stop to limit the downward movement of said other of saidcooperating members, said cooperatin members being arranged'so that theclampmg element will release the gripper means to ermit an immediateVoutward movement t ereof when the downward movement of said other ofsaid-members is arrested by said stop. 20. In a step-by-step pencil, thecombinationo lead-grlpping and -eeding mechanism comprising a pair-oflongitudinally movable members adapted to cooperate to feed a leaddownwardly step-by-step, said members comprising respectively outwardlypressed gripper means and a gripper clamp- 1ng element, a longitudinallymovable exteriorly accessible element, means including -said exteriorlyaccessible element to impart longitudinal movement to one of saidcooperating members, said cooperating members being arranged so that theother of said members will normally partake of said movement means tolimit the upward and downwar movementof said other of said cooperatingmembers, said cooperating members being ar-` ranged so that the clampmgelement will release the grip ermeans to permitan immediate outwarmovement thereof when the downward movement of said other of saidcooperating members is'arrested and will clamp said gripper means toassure immediate gripping action thereof when the upward movement ofsaid other of said members is arrested.

21. In a step-by-step pencil, thecombination of a plurality oflongitudmally movable nall movable member adapted normally to' hol saidgrippers in an upward position and Ain gripping engagement with'a leadin the pencil and to maintain said grip ers in gripping engagement withthe lea during at east a part of their downward movement, means to movesaid grippers downwardly, and means to move the grippers out ofengagement with thelead when in a downward osition, saidspring-controlled member .bemg adapted to move said grippers upwardlyahead of itself while the same are out of engagement with the lead.

22. In a step-by-step pencil, the combination of a plurality oflongitudinall lead grippers, means to limit the ownward movement of saidgrippers, a'. spring-controlled longitudinally movable 'member adaptednormally to hold said grippersin an a spring-controlled longitudimovableupward position and in gripping engagement` said grippers downwardly,and mea-ns to move the grippers out of engagement with the lead at theend of their downward movement, said spring-controlled member beingadapted to move said grippers upwardly ahead of itself While the sameare out of engagement with the lead.

23. In a step-by-stepy pencil, the combination of a plurality oflongitudinally movable lead grippers, a spring-controlled 1ongitudinally movable member adapted normally to hold said gripper-s in anupward position and in gripping engagement with a lead in the pencil andto maintain saidgrippers in grip- 15 ping engagement with the leadduring at least a part of their downward movement, means to move saidgrippers downwardly, means to move the grippers out of engagement withthe lead when in a downward position, .sa-id spring-controlled memberbeing 'adapted to move said grippers upwardly ahead of itself while thesame are out of engagement with the lead, and au exteriorly accessibleactuating member, said spring-controlled member and ysaid exteriorlyaccessible actuating member being independently mounted.

In testimony whereof I have aixed my signature.

EDWARD D. FELDMAN.

